


Little Things

by Greyias



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Dysfunctional Family, Family Dynamics, Gen, Kid Fic, Mother-Son Relationship, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pre-Canon, The Shans put the "fun" in dysfunctional!, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28409583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greyias/pseuds/Greyias
Summary: Sometimes you must make time for the smaller things.
Relationships: Satele Shan & Theron Shan, Theron Shan & Ngani Zho
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: The way you said, "I love you": In a letter
> 
> Inspired by the toys you can find in the cockpit of Satele’s ship during Chapter 12 of KotFE, and a possible explanation for their origin.

At nearly six years old, Theron Shan was an exemplary student, despite not yet being able to successfully reach out to the Force. Ngani Zho was sure that would come into time, everyone blossomed in their own time, and perhaps Theron would just come into his own a little later than others. Even without a firm grasp on the Force, Theron was extraordinarily talented in other ways. Within just six months he’d mastered the concentration techniques of the Order of the Sacred Circle — at five years old no less. It took some a lifetime to master that. In many ways, he was lightyears ahead the younglings back on the temple at Coruscant. Indeed, Theron was destined for great things — all he had to do was put his mind to whatever he wanted to accomplish.

And yet, destiny or no, he was still a child. And sometimes that meant making time for the smaller things.

“This is for me?” The boy blinked at the box.

“Yes, it’s a gift.”

A gift missing the letter that had been addressed to Zho: _A vendor was selling these at a market, and I couldn’t help but think that Theron might enjoy them. I think he’s the right age for them. You may let him think its from you. I am sure he would appreciate that. — Satele_

Not for the first time in reading one of her letters, Zho let out a long sigh. He understood his former student’s reluctance to reach out personally. After all, he had witnessed firsthand the unfortunate events with Tasiele, and knew that part of her reasoning was self-preservation — and perhaps in her own way, trying to spare his young charge of having to go through a similar trial. Still, from the way they both asked about each other, in their own indirect ways, it was clear that both mother and son wanted something of each other in their lives.

However, for now, Zho would focus on the present. In both senses of the word, as Theron seemed to reach his end of patience with the box and tore through the flimsy wrapping job to pull out a pair of toy droids. Zho couldn’t help but quirk a brow at the choice in toys, as he wasn’t sure he would have picked out a HK-model nor a destroyer droid for a little boy to play with. But Zho had not been that age for a long time, as Theron’s eyes lit up as he pulled them both from the small box.

“These are the latest models, they’re so expensive—how did you get these?”

“Why, in the mail of course,” Zho said simply, trying to thread the line between answering the question honestly, and respecting Satele’s wishes. He tried not to think about the fact that she must have spent quite a portion of her living stipend on extravagant gifts on the same day each year.

“But shouldn’t I be meditating? Its sunrise on Corsucant—”

“I believe the sun will still rise tomorrow. Besides, my boy, its your birthday.”

“Oh, right.” Theron’s brow furrowed. “I kind of forgot.”

“Go on and play,” Zho nudged the boy. “I have some correspondence to catch up on. We’ll pick back up on your lessons after lunch.”

Needing no more encouragement, Theron grabbed his latest treasures and leapt away with them. As Zho pulled out a datapad to begin writing out a reply to Satele, he could hear the excited noises of a child at play. Apparently according to the six year old, HK droids now roared like a reptiloid. He paused in his typing, watching the energetic youngling bounce about with a smile.

It was a good day.

* * *


End file.
